


hunger of the pine

by astralitte



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Fae AU, M/M, fairy tales and princes, no beta we burn like goro on 10/25
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-15
Updated: 2020-07-15
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:54:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25125019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/astralitte/pseuds/astralitte
Summary: If the battle continued in this direction, Akira could accidentally get hurt. Goro needed to steer the fight away. But it was too late. King Yaldabaoth followed Goro’s line of sight and started charging towards Akira. Akira was open. Akira was vulnerable.“No!” Goro choked. In his mind, he had a vivid vision of a fatal blow striking Akira, then Akira bursting into blue and white flames, surrendering his body to the stars. It made him realise that proving his worth no longer meant anything to him. Not if it put his soulmate’s life in danger. Not if it meant that he might be able to spend even one millisecond less with Akira.Also: a fae AU in which Akira and Goro are soulmates but they are high princes from opposing kingdoms.
Relationships: Akechi Goro/Amamiya Ren, Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist
Comments: 23
Kudos: 181
Collections: Day 4: Fairy Tales and Princes





	hunger of the pine

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Day Four of Soft Goro Week 2020!
> 
> Thank you everyone in the Soft Goro Week Discord! Extra special thanks to Serah, K, and Maya, who listened to me rant about this au endlessly. I love you guys so much ♥
> 
> Also, I honestly don't know much about the fae world. The elements of this world spawned from the bullshit depths of my brain. There were also so many other things that I wanted to add, but I couldn't find a place to put them for this fic. One day, I might do some spin-offs. The characters might also come across as OOC, though I think that's a given due to the basis of this world. (I also don't know anything about sword fights but this fic has one.) However, this is the most fun I've ever had writing a fic and creating a world. This fic is super precious to me.
> 
> I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did in creating it.

before.

Once upon a time, when the Land of Fae was divided, there existed two opposing kingdoms. On the east rested Solislux, a kingdom in which the sun never failed to shine. Though these lands blazed, the Titania’s powers tamed the heat from the sun such that the forests and hills could remain lush and evergreen. And on the west resided Lunatenebris, a kingdom trapped in the icy grasp of the moon. Owned by the Oberon, the lands there were desolate, its greenery withered like the Oberon’s heart.

There were two High Princes from these opposing kingdoms. One, with a crown of hair so dark, from the kingdom that thrived under the sun’s inexhaustible kiss. The other, with a crown of hair so bright, from the kingdom that languished in the moon’s ceaseless embrace.

Perhaps they were made for each other, for, like their kingdoms, they were two sides of the same coin. Across the back of one, the god Arsène roamed, mighty and proud. On this same prince’s forearms, other minor gods lingered about, often crowding together near his palms, as if curious to see what these hands might next do. On the back of the other prince, the trickster gods Loki and Robin Hood nested, alert and clever, and curled around his wrists were twin snakes, their heads always resting on the back of his palms, as if poised to strike at enemies that might dare do him harm.

i.

It was fate when they first met as children at the lake that divided their kingdoms. As royal fae children were oft to do, they had each decided to escape their duties. They longed to play with the lesser fae, to hear songs and stories from those who loitered the human realm.

When the dark-haired prince, Akira, first arrived at the lake, he spotted the auburn-haired prince, Goro, sitting by himself. Goro was watching the lesser fae from a great distance, twiddling his claws.

Intrigued at the presence of the only other young fae, Akira immediately approached Goro, wide innocent eyes and all. In the back of his mind, Arsène and the minor gods started to argue among each other. “Greetings,” Akira said, stopping at a short distance.

The red-eyed prince looked up, suspicious. He gave Akira a quick once over, then haughtily huffed, “I don’t know you.”

Akira rolled his eyes. “Well, of course, dummy. We’ve only just met.” He invited himself to sit down next to Goro, who shrank back, but Akira stuck a hand out to him. “But now you do! My name’s Akira. What about you?”

Studying Akira’s hand, Goro noticed the minor gods peering up at him, fascinated. “Wait, you’re Queen Lavenza’s son!” Then, he inched away, worried about the repercussions of being seen with an enemy. “Father said that I shouldn’t talk to anyone from the Solislux kingdom.”

“Why not?” Akira dropped his hand, pouted, and scooted closer. “Our kind is peaceful.”

Goro thrust his hands out at Akira to stop him from coming closer. When Akira noticed a snake’s head on each of Goro’s hands, he caught Goro’s hands and brought them closer to his sparkling eyes. The minor gods on Akira’s hand swarmed as close as they could to Goro’s hands, though the snakes there stretched their jaws in a silent hiss.

“You’re Goro, the High Prince of Lunatenebris!”

Wincing, Goro snatched his hands back. “That’s why we shouldn’t talk to each other.”

Akira shook his head roughly, further messing his already dishevelled hair. “That’s absolute nonsense,” he said, leaning to his side so that his arm pressed up against Goro’s. “How old are you, by the way?”

“I’m almost a thousand years old,” Goro replied proudly. “That’s only three hundred more years until I am a teenager.”

“Whoa!” Akira gasped. His eyes were starting to sparkle again, silver hues flickering across his irises. He leaned back and gazed at the expanse of the lake, kicking his legs into the water. “That means you must be a whole hundred years older than me. I’m almost nine hundred myself. Becoming a teenager is like… forever away.”

“Why are you here anyway?” questioned Goro. He felt uncomfortable that the High Prince from the enemy kingdom was acting all chummy with him. “Don’t you have duties? Rumours are that death approaches for your mother.”

For the first time since Akira’s arrival, a frown flashed across the High Prince’s face. Goro felt awful for bringing up the rumour.

“Sorry,” Goro mumbled.

Akira tilted his head to the side and watched Goro through the corner of his eyes. “You can’t tell anyone, but I think that Mother has only a few hundred years left—”

 _Is he stupid?_ Goro thought. _I am literally his biggest enemy. Apart from Father._

“—and she wants me to take over the Titania title once she’s gone.” Akira turned to face Goro completely. “Hey, aren’t you supposed to take over the Oberon title one day?”

“Yeah, but Father’s probably still going to be alive another few thousand years.”

Akira wrinkled his nose. “Isn’t King Yaldabaoth super duper old though?”

Goro glared at Akira, unhappy about the way this rude High Prince was talking about his father. However, he chose not to say anything. He still felt bad about bringing up Queen Lavenza’s impeding death.

“Well, that doesn’t matter,” Akira said with a grin. “We’ll both be rulers one day and maybe we can work together to make the fae lands a better place.”

“That’s ridiculous!” spluttered Goro. “Solislux and Lunatenebris can never work together. Light and dark must not clash. The old testaments speak of a time when our kingdoms tried to merge. Chaos ensued; it was sheer _madness._ If the fae lands are to be owned, only either light or dark can rule. Never both _—_ ”

“Is that what Lunatenebris teaches its fae folk?” Akira remarked without malice. “Do the old testaments also speak of how there was a calm that stayed for ten millenniums and how the seasons would change? Do they mention of how chaos only started when the Oberon before King Yaldabaoth decided to betray the Titania back then?”

Goro’s eyes widened. How could this Solisluxian High Prince be both so impudent and ignorant? Goro had studied the old testaments like his father had instructed him to. He already had all of it memorised despite his young age.

“I mean, I know that Lunatenebrisans are only allowed access to the old testaments.” Akira shrugged. “But look at this place.” He swept his hand to gesture at the lake. “Fae folk from both our kingdoms gather here, and there is peace. Doesn’t that make you wonder whether the old testaments preach the truth?”

“I’ve never thought of it that way,” Goro said quietly. His skin crawled as one of the gods on his back awoke from its slumber.

Akira watched as Robin Hood’s hands appear on Goro’s shoulder, followed by the red of its helmet then the yellow of its eyes peeking from Goro’s skin. Embarrassed, Goro slapped his hand over his shoulder to shoo the god away. Robin Hood ignored the slap, only flicking its eyes to Goro’s face for a moment before settling them on Akira again.

“Please disregard it,” Goro sighed. “Anyway, what you said—can you prove that the old testaments are inaccurate?”

“Well, duh,” Akira said, wiggling his own claws in greeting to the intrusive god.

“And?”

“Do you really expect me to carry around the ancient scripture?” Akira deadpanned. “Besides, I think you’re here today for the same reason that I am.” He kicked into the water hard, splashing water onto both of them.

“Which is?”

“To play, of course!” Akira beamed at Goro. “I’ve never been here before, and it seems like you haven’t either. Wanna go talk to those other fae folk?”

“But I want to hear more about the ancient scripture that you speak of,” Goro said with a pout.

Akira sighed at him exasperatedly. “How long are you planning to stay at this lake?”

Pondering, Goro scraped his claws into the dirt. “A month?” He had considered staying for only a week before, but surely no one would notice his absence since King Yaldabaoth would not awake from his hibernation for at least another three months. “…or maybe a tiny bit longer.”

“Perfect! Me too.” Akira clapped his hands together. “Look, if I promise to bring the ancient scripture here at the next blue moon _and_ tell you more about it for the rest of our time here, can we go hear some stories first?”

“The blue moon isn’t for another three years,” Goro whined.

“Pfft, that’s nothing and you know that.”

Goro felt as Robin Hood started to nod vigorously while Loki stirred, slowly making its way to Goro’s vacant shoulder and seating itself there. Making itself comfortable, it rested its elbow on its knee and propped its head on its palm.

“Pretty please?” Akira pleaded, his eyes flashing a bright rosy pink. “I can see that even your gods want to play.”

Goro hugged his arms around his own shoulders. “Traitors,” he muttered, hearing the gods’ soft chuckles in his head. To Akira, he said, “Okay, fine. But you have to make a blood pact with me.”

“Are you seriously asking me to make a blood pact with you just so you can see the ancient scripture? Blood pacts are usually only done with humans, you know. Isn’t that kind of extreme?”

“Yes, well,” Goro huffed. “I don’t want you to deceive me.”

Arsène began to loudly nag in Akira’s mind, though it remained hidden on Akira’s back. Grumbling, Akira said, “Arsène wants me to tell you that there are better deals that you can make, like making me swear a sanctified vow that I am telling you the truth or a blighted oath that would scourge our minds together until I fulfil the promise.”

“Well, Robin Hood says that a sanctified vow is flawed because your own truth is not bound to that of the ancient scripture,” Goro countered, “and Loki says that a blighted oath will not do because we’ll gain access to each other’s memories and have no privacy.”

“But a blood oath is okay even though that means it intertwines our souls together forever?”

Goro puffed his reddened cheek, not wanting to admit that he couldn’t think of any other way to get to see the ancient scripture.

“I mean, I don’t particularly mind. The gods say that we’re soulmates anyway.”

Jumping onto his feet, Goro stared at Akira in shock. “That’s absurd! There have been no soulmates for almost twenty thousand years.”

Akira arched an eyebrow. “Since Solislux and Lunatenebris were first established, you mean.”

“How do you even know such things?” exclaimed Goro. “You’re far younger than I am.”

“Mother carries around a tome and lectures me all the times,” Akira answered, stifling a yawn. “So, have you made up your mind? I want to hear stories about the human realm now. All your other questions can come after I’ve had my fun.”

Nostrils flaring, Goro crossed his arms. “Fine. Let’s make that stupid blood pact.”

“Oh, I have one condition too since I would rather not make any promises that bring me no favour.”

“Typical Solisluxians. Well, what is it?”

Akira flashed Goro a grin that showed far too many pointed teeth. “Hmm… How about promising to meet me from time to time?”

“Deal.” There were plenty of loopholes in that that Goro could work around. In any case, it was a small sacrifice to make if it meant uncovering the truth about the fae lands. Not that he doubted his father, of course. He was merely curious about what the fae folk in Solislux believed. _And_ Father would be proud that Goro was taking an initiative to learn more about the enemy.

Smirking, Akira unleashed a claw and sliced his own palm. He presented his hand, waiting for Goro to do the same. All the minor gods from Akira’s left arm flocked over to join the ones on his right that were clustered around the open wound.

Goro sat back down, and Akira turned to mirror his sitting position, his hand still waiting. Taking in a deep breath, he cut his own left palm. In the back of his mind, the trickster gods kept goading him: _do it, do it, do it—you must be bound to him as he must be bound to you—Oberon cannot be complete without Titania._ The last sentence alarmed Goro, and he knew that he should quieten the fevered gods and think. After all, their kingdoms were sworn enemies.

But it didn’t matter, Goro realised, because this—whatever this was—felt right. Impossibly, he sensed the stars shift in the sky above the lake that was neither day nor night.

Akira felt that too, it seemed, for his eyes were glued to the sky while they rapidly changed back and forth between midnight blue and pewter grey. In the distance, the lesser fae started to cry out in confusion, but none of them noticed Akira and Goro.

Then, as swiftly as the sensation came, it passed. Goro’s attention snapped back to Akira. The High Prince looked to be in profound thought.

“That has never happened before,” Goro commented. “Perhaps it is a sign that we shouldn’t proceed?”

“On the contrary,” Akira said. His calm grey eyes met Goro’s ever red ones. “Are the gods not rioting in your head? They sure are in mine.”

Goro nodded slowly, unable to deny that, but he was sure that he would have still proceeded even without the gods’ coercion—Akira was the only fae to ever intrigue him, and that alone seemed to be a good enough reason to seal their pact. “Our deal, then.”

After checking that the other fae folk were still distracted, Goro pressed his left palm to Akira’s right one. As their fingers intertwined, one of the minor gods, Ishtar, flitted over to Goro’s left hand, mounting the snake’s head there with ease.

“Oh, I guess it wants to stay with you,” Akira said.

Goro frowned at that, worrying about how he would explain the acquisition of a minor god to his father. There were more pressing matters anyway. They needed to execute the blood pact before someone noticed that magic runes were faintly shimmering over their bodies.

“Whenever you’re ready.”

As soon as Goro opened his mouth to recite the incantation, Akira followed suit. They murmured word after word synchronously, until the runes seeped into their bones and engraved themselves there.

“…and even after death shall our promise never been forgotten.”

They felt a surge of otherworldly energy briefly rush through them, like a part of themselves had traded places and cemented inside each other. Akira’s eyes glowed red fleetingly, the exact shade that Goro was used to seeing in his reflections. It made Goro wonder whether his eyes turned grey in that moment too. He doubted it though—his eyes didn’t have the same ability that Akira’s did.

“Now that that’s finally done,” Akira sang, standing up and tugging Goro in the direction of the other fae folk. “We can have some fun!”

“Wait,” Goro choked out. “We should probably glamour ourselves.”

Akira looked down at their still intertwined hands, pursing his lips at the gods and the snakes. “I forgot about that,” he announced.

“Are you missing a brain?” Goro cried. “You realise that we are the only ones here with gods flying around on our skin, right?”

Jerking a shoulder, Akira lifted a corner of his lips. “Honestly, I never really thought about it.”

Goro pressed a hand to his temple and fought the urge to jinx the foolish Solisluxian.

“Well, it’s not like you glamoured yourself before you came here anyway.”

“It wouldn’t have mattered if we weren’t in each other’s company!”

Akira waved his free hand over their heads, the air around them warping. “Alright, there. Can we go now?”

“Are you sure that no one can see through the glamour?”

“I may be younger than you,” sighed Akira, “but don’t take me for an idiot.”

“You did just make a blood pact with me that has plenty of loopholes,” Goro couldn’t help but gloat. “Time is subjective; therefore, meeting you from ‘time to time’ can mean that I can choose to meet you only once every few millennials. It’s rather bearable, really.”

“Oh, I know,” Akira said, “but we’re soulmates with a blood pact now, so that means that we are bonded and that we’ll actually die if we don’t meet at least every other century.”

 _The future Titania speaks the truth,_ Loki whispered, and Robin Hood added, _even the ancient scripture says so._ This was something that Goro certainly did not know, and hang on—did the bloody trickster gods knew about the ancient scripture? Goro felt as though he had been played right into the hands of fate.

“Now that the blood pact requires us to be completely honest with each other,” Akira said, grinning at Goro, “I actually know everything about Lunatenebris. So…”

“Are you telling me that you tricked me into forming a stupid blood pact with you?” Goro screeched, yanking his hand away from Akira.

Akira poked his tongue out to the side and frowned, for once looking entirely like the fae child he was supposed to be. Then, he said, “I know you don’t believe in soulmates, but I didn’t want to risk letting you go just in case you actually are.”

“Even though we might end up killing each other one day?”

Akira bopped his head energetically.

“Fine,” Goro scoffed, giving in. “I suppose we still have our entire lives ahead for me to plot your murder.”

As Akira laughed, his eyes shone in a radiant yellow. “Okay, but let’s go have some fun first.”

ii.

On the day that Akira turned seventeen hundred years old, Queen Lavenza was unshackled from her earthly form and reunited with the stars. In favour of only commemorating the attainment of adulthood in the next century, Akira had denied a celebration and spent the day by himself, roaming the woods for game and searching for trinkets that he could gift to Goro.

When Akira felt her death, he froze like a frightened deer before releasing his black, translucent wings and speeding back home. The second he arrived, the High Council of Solislux surrounded him, begging him to take the Titania title before Lunatenebris realised the kingdom’s moment of weakness.

And that was how Akira found himself in front of the throne on the first day of the week-long coronation, his black robe of state discarded to expose the god on his back, bowing before the golden alder-branches-and-leaves crown, without even a moment to grieve for his mother, just because there was no way that he could let Solislux fall into the hands of King Yaldabaoth.

“We hereby decree you the new Titania of Solislux,” the members of the High Council spoke in unison, resting the crown on Akira’s hair.

The branches on the golden crown glowed in a soft green light, then the crown elongated before tightening itself around Akira’s head, locking itself in place until the day Akira’s body surrendered itself back to the stars.

Akira continued to kneel there, waiting. Queen Lavenza had once told him that when it was his turn to bear the crown, there would be a change in him. But what? She had been so cryptic in describing it that he hadn’t been able to catch a hint from her words. Now that it was his turn, he felt like he was missing vital information to be the Titania. Nothing in his history studies prepared him for this moment. He felt like a fool, kneeling there in nothing but his breeches.

“The god on the Titania has not ascended,” the crowd behind Akira murmured. “Something is not right.”

“But the title does not reject him,” someone said, a pitch louder than the others. “The crown has not annihilated him. Perhaps it is because he has yet to become an adult. This is the first time someone of his age has become Titania, after all. Surely, the god Arsène shall ascend when King Akira reaches maturity or…”

The rest of the fae’s words were lost as the crowd buzzed in agreement, a veil of relief settling over them. Akira took that moment to rise, turning to face his court. He felt out of his depth because everyone else knew something that he did not. He supposed that he could take comfort in not being ostracised, at the very least. No one wanted to challenge him for the crown.

When he turned to face his kingdom, everyone before him sank onto one knee, submitting to him as the new Titania. He allowed his steel grey eyes to roam over the court for a long moment.

“Rise,” he commanded, and so they did.

The oldest of the High Council, Elizabeth, brought forth a silver goblet to Akira, who received it with both hands. He stained his lips with the red of the plucked ancient cherries, shedding away his innocence of otherworldly matters. The skin on his forehead stretched and tore without pain, and beneath his messy locks, his third eye emerged. He scanned the crowd once more with his third eye, but there was no sign of hostility, so he shut it.

“King Akira of Solislux,” declared the High Council with finality.

Ovation erupted from the fae folk, and the band broke out into a merry number in Akira’s honour. Akira stepped down from the platform and strode towards the fae folk who parted for him to take the centre of the court. Akira started to lose himself in dance for the fae folk’s sake and that of Solislux. For this week, at least, he had to play the role of the loving Titania that everyone expected him to.

Performing without rest, Akira heard every single whisper and gossip and breath around him, but he only fully came to himself on the seventh and final day when the heavy doors to his court slammed open.

King Yaldabaoth swept into the court, his six wings so large that they trailed on the floor behind him. He could have kept them the way most fae folk kept theirs, but he believed that one who had been given an extra pair of wings should not hide its glory. A golden yew branches-and-leaves crown sat loosely on his head, its design a mirror of the golden crown that sat on Akira's head.

Walking by King Yaldabaoth’s right hand was High Prince Goro, his chin raised in feigned arrogance. His years with his father had not been kind to him, his only salvation the Titania that stood before him.

Akira pulled away from the human whom he was dancing with and took a moment to stretch. He saw the vein in King Yaldabaoth’s neck pop and forced himself to hold back a smile. “Oberon,” Akira greeted without hostility.

“So you are the new Titania,” King Yaldabaoth sniffed. He cast a glance around, eyeing the humans.

“Welcome to the court of Solislux,” Akira replied, dramatically sweeping open both arms and bowing briefly. “I see you’ve received your invitation.”

King Yaldabaoth graced Akira with a small smile. “I suppose I should offer my congratulations.” He gestured to his son, who stepped forward and knelt on a knee to proffer a cushion on which laid a heavy-looking diamond. “Precisely five thousand carats. The biggest diamond known to fae.”

Akira scrutinised the gemstone. It was a cleverly disguised insult. One that Akira would have foolishly accepted if he hadn’t knowledge of what gemstones signified. His third eye fluttered open, unseen to everyone else. Red flashed, and the eye closed again. Akira took a step towards Goro and picked up the diamond in one hand, then motioned the kneeling High Prince to stand. “A lovely gift,” Akira commented, then smiled serenely. “Pity it would do far better justice in your hands than mine, Oberon. Are you sure you’re willing to part the divine guidance that this provides?”

“Oh, most definitely,” King Yaldabaoth had the cheek to reply. “You are, after all, nothing but an untried fledgling.”

“You speak as if ostentatious imbeciles do not age,” Akira chuckled. He tossed the diamond back to King Yaldabaoth carelessly. “I do not need this diamond. Green amethyst is my preferred gemstone. But seeing that you haven’t brought any other gifts, perhaps you can indulge my single request?”

The wings belonging to King Yaldabaoth twitched, lifting itself from the ground and flaring behind their owner. “How impudent,” seethed King Yaldabaoth. “But I am a benevolent god. You may ask.”

Akira wanted to scoff. It was common knowledge that King Yaldabaoth thought himself above all fae just because he was born with an extra pair of wings. Everyone also knew, though, that the powers the Oberon had were nothing distinguished compared to those of the previous Oberons. The only thing that King Yaldabaoth had going for him was his command of flight. Regardless, he still fashioned himself a god and even made the Lunatenebrisans call him the God of Control.

Any Solisluxian would have thought that a higher fae would know better than to be arrogant.

Nevertheless, Akira didn’t let his smile leave his face. “Benevolent, indeed,” Akira said. “But yes, surely you will not deny me one dance?” He paused, watching King Yaldabaoth’s expression more from prideful to condescending. “With High Prince Goro, that is.”

It was an insult this time, from Akira to King Yaldabaoth. A request like that signified that Akira thought Goro equal to or above the Oberon title.

“As you wish,” King Yaldabaoth spat. “I’m feeling charitable today.” He faced Goro. “You. Stay as long as you like. Your presence will not be missed.” Then, without waiting for another word, he turned around and stormed out of the court, shoving away with his wings any fae folk who was in his way.

There was a bated silence as the court strained their ears to hear that King Yaldabaoth was gone. The moment his departure was confirmed, they burst into amused chatter.

“I would ask you if you have a death wish,” Goro sighed, taking a step towards Akira, “but we both know that you always do.”

A full-blown smirk fanned across Akira’s face. “Hello to you too, darling.”

Goro clicked his tongue in reply. Before Akira could stop Goro, before Akira even had a chance to think, Goro had closed the gap between them and slid his arms around Akira, himself positioned as the lead. It was a gesture that made Akira, and the fae folk around them, chortle with fondness.

“Must you always tease me in my kingdom?” Akira huffed. He draped his arms around Goro’s shoulders, standing there as they looked into each other’s eyes, without movement.

“Lunatenebris wouldn’t accept us,” replied Goro, his lips tugged to the side. “You know how Father feels about your kingdom.”

Akira scrunched his nose in distaste. Though Goro had spent the last few hundred years explaining the prejudice his kingdom had for Akira’s, Akira still couldn’t completely understand it. All he could wrap his head around was that King Yaldabaoth was the oldest fae alive in Lunatenebris and that the Oberon had somehow managed to influence the Lunatenebrisans into believing the heavily edited old testaments. Well, at least some of the Lunatenebrisans were no longer as oblivious as they used to be thanks to Akira and Goro’s combined efforts.

“In any case,” Goro said, because he felt bad for bringing that up and also because of an unavoidable, impending discussion, “shall we actually dance? It’s your coronation and we’re just standing here.”

Akira looked down at their planted feet then back up at Goro. “You say that knowing that I’ve been dancing non-stop for the last week.” Akira rolled his eyes. “But I did request a dance with you, so I suppose we must.”

Leaning forward, Goro whispered, “Did you see how ruffled his feathers were? He was pissed.”

They started to sway from side to side to the fae crooning a ballad in the background. Other fae folk waltzed around them, uncaring.

“He started it,” Akira remarked. “Did he really think that I wouldn’t know he was trying to insult me?”

“Yes, actually. He underestimates you.”

“That’s nothing new,” Akira said, which earned a snort from Goro.

Goro adjusted the positions of their arms as a new, more upbeat melody started. He tilted his head back slightly to look down at Akira through his eyelashes, then said, “Remember that dance we practiced?”

Akira’s eyes lit up. It had to be the dance they’d learnt that one time when they had snuck off to the human realm. Vien-something waltz. Viennese? Maybe. It was too long ago, but the moves of the dance stayed fresh in their minds, and they always practiced whenever they found music and time for them to be alone together. “You just want to show off in my court,” Akira joked.

“Might as well,” Goro replied. “Don’t you know? The Titania chose me, a bastard High Prince, over the Oberon.” Then, he winked.

“I could kiss you right now,” Akira growled. Instead, he tugged their clasped hands. They started to dance then, taking quick steps in a circle to clear the space around them. The crowd parted, eager to spectate a dance between the Titania and the High Prince of Lunatenebris.

The nature of the dance forced their bodies close together, Goro edging Akira on with each step they took. One by one, the gods and minor gods on them started to rouse. The first was Ishtar, who kicked its legs against the snake’s head it rested on, making the snake hiss soundlessly before gliding to nestle itself beneath Akira’s fingers.

 _It is time, it is time, it is time,_ the gods started to chant in their minds. _It is time for Arsène to ascend._

Their eyes widened. They tried to halt mid-dance, but they found that they couldn’t. It was as if their bodies had been possessed by the gods. This wasn’t new, but ever since their first encounter as children, the gods had not spoken so zealously.

“What did you do,” Goro muttered under his breath, but Akira just stared back at him in panic, the colour of his eyes cycling between red and orange—the mix of colours in Akira’s eyes that Goro had learnt over their years together were associated with panic.

 _You must accept this fate lest your bond be severed,_ the voices cautioned.

Grasping the warning, Akira and Goro took deep breaths and abandoned themselves to the music, their eyes never leaving each other. The background scenery faded into a blur as they spun around and around the court, adding their own flourishes to the dance. The gods continued to coerce them, _faster, faster, faster,_ until finally, the music slowed and Goro ended their routine with a twirl, Akira throwing an arm out before pulling it back in to meet Goro’s palm with his own.

As soon as their palms touched, Akira let go of Goro and fell to his knees. He wrapped his arms around himself tightly, his skin crawling. A dark blue light began to emit from Akira’s back, eclipsing Arsène, who promptly disintegrated into nothing.

Goro dropped down in front of Akira and grabbed Akira’s shoulder. “Akira,” he choked, but Akira was unresponsive. Goro looked away from Akira, searching the crowd in distress. No one was stepping forward; the only thing that the fae folk were keen on doing was whisper behind their hands. But their expressions were not of malice. They seemed to be… rejoicing? Then, Goro heard them.

“The High Prince of Lunatenebris is the Titania’s soulmate!” they were crying. “The Titania has a soulmate!” “But soulmates are supposed to be a myth—” “Have we been blessed?” “We’ve been blessed!”

“Goro, I am fine,” said Akira. Clutching onto Goro’s arms, Akira stared with eyes as yellow as daffodils. Happiness? Why was he—Then, Akira’s wings shot out in an arch above him, and a god of old materialised above him, one that every fae folk recognised from the old testaments and the ancient scripture for its pronounced half-feathered half-bat-like wings and its massive horns that framed its face.

 _I am thou,_ rang a deep voice throughout the room. _Thou art I. From the sea of thy soul, I come. Though the strength of thy will is sufficient to conquer all on thine own, the gods have blessed thee and the future Oberon in the forthcoming bloodshed and beyond… I am Satanael, son of the Mother God Sophia!_

Goro heard astonished cries from the court, but his jaw hung slack as he watched Satanael lower its head and swoop onto Akira’s back while Akira’s wings folded back in. Unable to help himself, Goro leaned over to glance down. True enough, he found Satanael making itself comfortable there. The minor gods had also abandoned Akira’s arms to gather around the new god and offer their greetings to it.

With the spectacle gone, the fae folk applauded and hooted blithely. Even before Akira had the chance to stand, everyone else began celebrating again. Goblets with freshly poured wine were passed around, the band started to play a new tune, and dancing and, of course, gossip resumed.

After helping Akira to his feet, Goro tugged him away to a concealed alcove to escape from prying eyes and ears. It was the last day of the coronation, after all. On top of what had just happened, no one would dare to speak against letting their Titania have a moment with his soulmate.

“Told you we’re soulmates,” was the first thing that Akira could think of to say.

Goro took in a long, deep breath and then released it. “Seriously?” he spat back. “Is that really more important to you than everything else that happened back there?”

Akira shrugged, his eyes flashing pastel pink. Adoration. “You already know the answer to that,” he answered. “Solislux may be important to me, but you’re above all to me.” He leaned against the wall and picked at the jagged foundation with a claw. “And if that wasn’t clear enough, then yes. You are more important to me than everything else that happened back there.”

It was a rash, clumsy decision, lurching forward to kiss Akira. And a part of Goro knew that kissing would always feel like that—like their first time, when they had spent the entire day chasing each other through the woods as teenagers were wont to do, adrenaline pumping through their veins, hollering so loudly that they had frightened the creatures away, running and running until they had crashed into one another, and Goro had impulsively pressed his lips against Akira and Akira had kissed him back. It felt like an eternity ago. It felt like now.

“Goro,” Akira was gasping into the kiss, so Goro tried to card his fingers through Akira’s hair to pull at it and deepen their kiss, but he winced as his fingers pricked against the golden crown and then settled for fisting Akira’s hair from the top.

“Gone are the days I can run my hands through your hair,” Goro lamented into their kiss, which only made Akira snort and nip on Goro’s bottom lip before he pulled away.

Recalling where they were, Goro took a step back and cleared his throat. Akira crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow in amusement. They exchanged a look as they heard chatter from a group of fae folk who were walking past the alcove, revering the presence of Satanael and also the first pair of soulmates in over twenty thousand years. Then, Goro remembered why he had brought Akira to this hidden corner.

“Akira,” Goro started shakily, “I must tell you something—he… My father. He means to use me against you.”

Akira didn’t say anything at first. He studied the crease between Goro’s brow, briefly considering reaching out to smooth it with his brow. Instead, he said, “What Satanael said earlier, about the bloodshed. Does your father really mean to start a war?”

Goro nodded. “You don’t seem surprised.” Loki was awake and restless. Goro could feel it pacing his back in circles. Quietly, he was glad that Akira wouldn’t be able to see it.

“I am not,” Akira admitted. He pushed himself off the foundation and stretched his back. Bare skin against a rough surface was not a comfortable feeling. “Being the Titania comes with a power that the Oberon does not have. Your kingdom does not know about it. In fact, most Solisluxians do not know about it either.”

“Is that so?” Goro said, wrapping his arms around himself. “I suppose you will not tell me, seeing as to how I may be about to become your greatest enemy.”

“On the contrary, idiot. You’re my soulmate, remember? A war cannot separate us.” Akira tugged Goro’s arms away and took a step forward. He captured Goro’s chin between his fingers and raised Goro’s bowed head. “How are you feeling about the impending war?”

Goro’s eyes scurried away. When Akira tapped lightly on Goro’s cheek, Goro forced himself to look back. “What do you think?” he snarled. “I don’t want to be pitted against you.”

“Didn’t you hear what Satanael said?” Akira chided. “The gods blessed us. Not just me. _Us._ ”

“Stop looking at me like that,” Goro scowled, but Robin Hood was humming in agreement with Akira’s words. “Your eyes—you’re not even trying to hide that you’re annoyed. Besides, they said you and the future Oberon. Not you and me.”

“Goro, you’ve read the ancient scripture. You know that all the previous Titanias and Oberons were soulmates.”

“Queen Lavenza and Father weren’t,” Goro replied. Tired of watching Loki walk back and forth, Robin Hood climbed onto Goro’s shoulder and prodded him hard. _You are being far too stubborn about this,_ the god scolded. Goro chose to ignore him, as he had been the past few minutes.

Akira wrinkled his nose. “No, we would not be soulmates if they were. In any case, Mother’s—” He eyed Robin Hood, who was peering back at him with intensity. “What has Robin Hood been saying to you?”

Goro turned to glare at his shoulder. He hated how the gods on him behaved like children around Akira. They shouldn’t be like that. Not when Goro was now an adult. Gods, even Akira could control the colours of his eyes now that he was older. “Why are you asking that question? You know damned well what it’s saying to me. I just don’t know what to do, okay? I don’t want to fight you, but I want to protect my kingdom. Father is also being a fool.”

Rubbing the back of his neck, Akira let out a short breath. Goro wasn’t in an ideal position to be in. Akira knew that Goro loved Solislux as much as he loved Lunatenebris, but the fate of a kingdom always rested in its ruler’s hands.

“I know that you strive to bring the kingdoms back together,” Goro continued, but Akira started to shake his head indignantly.

“You know that’s not true,” argued Akira. “We—the _both_ of us—have been striving to bring the kingdoms back together. You don’t get to say that it’s just me. Not when you have been working alongside me all these years.”

“That’s different,” Goro hissed under his breath. “We did that in secret. Nobody knew that it was us.”

Akira gritted his teeth. The colours of fire flickered in his eyes. Fists clenched, he said as calmly as he could, “Goro, what are you playing at? I know you. And all fae folk cannot lie so it’s clear that you’re just phrasing things in ways that hide your truth.”

“I don’t want there to be a war.” Goro pushed himself off Akira and turned away. “That’s the opposite of bringing the two kingdoms together.”

“Do you think that you can convince King Yaldabaoth otherwise?” asked Akira. He stared at Robin Hood, which had also turned so that it could look at Akira. Loki, on the other hand, stopped pacing at last and looked to be contemplating.

“I doubt it,” Goro said. “He has been planning ever since he heard of Queen Lavenza’s illness.” _But there is a way to win this war,_ Loki and Robin Hood sneered in Goro’s head.

“Do your people support this?” Akira fiddled with a lock of hair between his fingers, thinking. “We know about those who are now aware of the ancient scripture. But do you know how many are actually supporting his campaign?”

Goro winced. What would the Lunatenebrisans think of him? Some already thought that he was not fit to be the next Oberon because he was a bastard, and if he were to handover such information to their enemy, then surely there would be people who challenged him for the title when King Yaldabaoth was no longer. But _tell him,_ the gods kept insisting. Even the usually quiet Ishtar was egging him on.

“About half of the kingdom,” Goro grinded out belatedly. At a nudge from Akira, Goro faced him again.

“That’s not as bad as I thought,” Akira replied with a grin. “Do you know when?”

At that, Goro shook his head. “But soon,” said Goro. He still felt something twist in his heart. If his father found out about this… “Akira, I’m terrified.”

Gently taking Goro’s hands into his own, Akira peered at Goro with certain eyes, as blue as the sky. “You’re not alone, my love. Whatever happens, no matter the outcome, you have a home here. In Solislux. With me. My people love you, and you know this.”

“But my kingdom,” Goro began shakily but stopped when Robin Hood whispered, _child, everything will be alright._ “Do you think we can do something about it?”

Akira chewed on his bottom lip. “There was something I noticed earlier,” he said, tapping the side of his cheek. “The crown on his head. It’s not sitting right. Have you noticed that? It must be rejecting him.”

“Is it that obvious? He’s been trying to hide it for centuries…”

Akira dropped Goro’s hands and lifted his fringe. When he willed the instinctive glamour away, his third eye fluttered open to gaze upon Goro. Akira noticed a faint coral pink glow around Goro, which made his heart skip a beat when Satanael supplied its meaning—pure adoration.

“That’s the unsung third eye,” Goro gasped. “Is that how you know?”

“The same way I know that King Yaldabaoth is a threat to Solislux,” Akira admitted, dipping his head. He let his fringe fall back over his forehead, but Goro still could glimpse the hidden eye.

“It seems like you have a plan,” noted Goro. He massaged his own shoulder, just to hide his discomfort.

Akira nodded. “There is a way for you to take the Oberon title. If the Lunatenebrisans see that the crown has been rejecting him, they’ll want a new king and that will be you.”

“It is far easier to obtain power than to hold it,” Goro warned. “Were I to take the crown after ousting my own father, the folk would not accept me as Oberon. They would definitely challenge me for the crown. That goes against everything we’ve been working for.”

“It’s our in,” Akira told Goro. “The lies that King Yaldabaoth has spread. When they see that the crown does not deem him worthy, it will be the perfect time to announce his crimes against the Land of Fae.”

Goro dropped his head, staring a hole into the ground. His heart, his mind, and the gods wanted this. He knew that it was the right choice. Still, he hated how a small part of him craved his father’s approval, even though he knew that his father created nothing but falsehood among his people.

“There is also one more thing,” Akira mentioned. “I believe that there is a way to take away his powers, but I need to look into it some more. That way, he will not have the ability to harm you.”

 _You could just give into your hate,_ Loki chuckled, then Robin Hood sneered, _the truth must be uncovered._

“We can do this,” Akira said, steadily holding Goro’s gaze, “but you have to make this choice. If war comes, then we shall fight regardless of which side we are each on. However, you must know that I will never do you harm.”

Shutting his eyes to listen to Ishtar’s soft murmurs in the back of his head, Goro whispered, “That’s what Father intends to happen. He knows about our blood oath. He wants me to use it to lure you.”

“Follow your heart, my love,” Akira reassured. “Come what may, I’ll stand by you no matter what.”

iii.

Three hundred and fifty years passed, and the war between Solislux and Lunatenebris alas came to a predicament. With the gods’ blessing, it was no surprise to the kingdom of Solislux that King Yaldabaoth found himself backed into a corner, acting like a foolish, prideful animal that hadn’t realised that its death was all but imminent.

“Goro, traitor High Prince of Lunatenebris,” said the messenger. “King Yaldabaoth extends his benevolence to you in good faith. He offers you one last chance to restore your rightful place as heir to the Oberon title.”

“That’s endearing,” Goro said mildly. He sat sprawled on the dais of their make-shift court next to Akira, his legs hooked over a side of the throne. He’d discarded his thick Lunatenebrisan clothes for those of Solislux, donning a white sleeveless doublet and tan breeches, and how Akira loved seeing his lover dressed in the fineries of his kingdom, no longer confined to the impressions of other fae folk.

“You should consider yourself lucky to be granted another chance by the God of Control,” the messenger hissed. “Know your damned place.”

Goro’s eyes flicked to the messenger then back to his claws. He scoffed. “You must be witless. Solislux’s army has surrounded the palace of Lunatenebris, yet you believe that Father stands a chance?”

“King Yaldabaoth is blessed, unlike you.” The messenger jumped to her feet, spitting at Goro. “You and these—” she motioned to the court around her “—scum Solisluxians are nothing compared to a god. Just because you have us surrounded does not mean you will win this war.”

Akira started to chuckle behind his hand. “Now, now,” he scolded, as if speaking to a fae child. “Have some decency when you’re speaking in my court. And need I remind you? All fae folk are now well-aware of the lies that King Yaldabaoth has tricked your kingdom into believing. Just because he has not admitted this himself does not make him guiltless.”

The messenger ignored Akira’s words. “One final chance, High Prince Goro. Leave with me now and you may still have an undeserved chance of becoming Oberon.”

“You may leave,” Goro said, waving a dismissive hand. “Let Father know that we shall meet him on the morrow. We look forward to his confessions and his surrender of the crown.”

Enraged, the messenger started to mutter a curse, targeting Akira. While Akira continued to sit on the throne, unperturbed, Goro was swift to aim a harmless blast of ice at the messenger’s chest. The messenger crumbled, gripping her chest.

“Oh, quit being dramatic,” Akira said, both to Goro and the messenger. “Honey, you know that she cannot actually hurt me. Let her go.”

Goro folded his arms and glowered at the messenger. Around the court, the other fae folk were doing the same. When the messenger noticed their looks, she scrambled back to her feet and dashed out of the court. Before long, they could see her flying back to the palace. When she was out of sight, the court fell into an impervious chatter.

“Someone’s antsy,” Akira said lightly. “Nervous about tomorrow?”

Twisting in his seat, Goro shot a look at Akira. “I’m not nervous. You, on the other hand, should honestly look out more for your own safety. She could have been an assassin.”

Akira shrugged. “It was low level magic. Besides, I’ve nothing to fear when you’re around. You’re extremely protective. Hmm… I wonder if all Oberons were like that when it came to protecting their Titanias.”

“There’s no such thing in the ancient scripture,” Goro sneered. “Don’t you start spreading rubbish.”

“Oh, lighten up,” Akira laughed. “I’m merely jesting.”

Goro kicked the arm that Akira was resting on, causing him to stumble forward. When Akira’s eyes flashed purple, as it always did whenever he was hatching a plan to retaliate to Goro’s antics, the court tittered at the lovebirds, amused, before returning to their conversations.

Pulling himself off the throne, Goro made a small stretch. “I could use some rest. Come with me?”

Akira nodded, accepting Goro’s proffered hand. As they made their way back to their tent, they made small talk with fae folk whom they passed by. The dauntless livelihood of the Solisluxians never failed to amaze Goro. He knew all fae were jealous, selfish beings, but he hated that he still felt himself craving with primal urge to be free like them all the same.

Their rest in the tent felt like a mere nap to Goro, gone even before he had a chance to dream. Before he knew it, the troops had been rallied and Goro found himself storming into King Yaldabaoth’s throne room with Akira’s army. There were few casualties on their side, but Goro was still covered in blood. He wasn’t sure whose it belonged to. It could be his, but it could also belong to the fae folk he had grown up with. He tried not to think about it.

“You have come at long last,” King Yaldabaoth greeted. Crowded around him were the few remaining fae folk who remained loyal. Goro recognised them as the ones who cowered behind their statuses, always getting fae folk whom they thought were expendable to do their dirty work.

Akira was the first to step forward, dragging his soiled sword lazily on across the stone tiles. He stopped a few steps away from King Yaldabaoth, not saying anything. He just stood there, smiling, waiting. It made Goro roll his eyes and sniff in disgust. Akira might call Goro dramatic, but he was honestly no different. Besides, dragging his sword on the ground like that? That just served to blunt the weapon.

King Yaldabaoth cocked his head to the side and mirrored Akira’s grin. “I have a proposal,” he offered.

“You have lost and yet you offer a proposal,” Akira answered drily. He glanced back at Goro, in question, wanting him to decide his father’s fate.

They could just end it here. It would be so easy to. All they had to do was take down King Yaldabaoth, and that task would be a simple feat when they had a whole army behind them while all the Oberon had were a bunch of fae folk who barely knew how to fight. But there was already enough bloodshed, and Goro was weary of all this fighting just because his stupid father had a god complex. It could end in peace. He wanted it to end in peace.

“Let’s hear him out,” Goro relented.

King Yaldabaoth couldn’t contain his smirk. For the first time since the court was invaded, King Yaldabaoth shifted his gaze to Goro. “If it’s the Oberon title that you want to badly, how about a one-on-one battle? If I win, leave Lunatenebris alone. If I lose, the crown is yours.”

Akira’s eyes narrowed. “You started this war,” he hissed, pointing his sword at King Yaldabaoth. “We’ve offered an abundance of treaties, all of which you denied.”

King Yaldabaoth seemed unaffected. “Your point?” he replied.

“Stop this madness and give up, Father,” Goro shouted. He didn’t bother correcting his father. It wasn’t the Oberon title that he wanted. “The rest of Lunatenebris stopped fighting when they learnt about your lies of the old testaments. The only ones on your side are those far too deep in denial. You still think you have a chance of being Oberon? Even the crown denies you. Give up. There is nothing to gain from such ridicule.”

“You have nothing to lose by accepting my proposal then,” King Yaldabaoth taunted. “Most of Lunatenebris have already been taken. If you wins, the traitor can have the Oberon title. If I win, well, it will mean nothing to you to leave one small piece of land alone.”

It was the most obvious bait. Goro knew this, as clear as the waters of the lake where he met Akira, but his father’s words still struck a chord deep inside him. He was frightened that he wasn’t worthy of being Oberon, and it wasn’t that the folk wouldn’t support him. He knew they would. But he was scared that he’d end up like his father, so obsessed with power that he would lose sight of what was important. He was scared that because of this war, he was already like his father.

 _You are worthy, you fool,_ the gods rebuked. _You are worthy._ _The crown knows this._

Goro supposed that the crown would ultimately be the judge of that. If he wasn’t fit to be Oberon, then, at best, the crown would instantly kill him. At worst, he might just end up crazed and lose everything that he cared about. He didn’t want to think about what it would be like to lose his soulmate. Was it wrong to want to prove himself to his father?

“My love,” came Akira’s voice. He placed a hand on Goro’s mud-splattered clothes. Goro lifted his head and looked at Akira, but Akira didn’t say anything. He just held Goro’s gaze for a long moment, and then he nodded.

Goro’s heart started to pound in his ears. But while he was questioning himself whether he could do this, whether he could win a fight against his own father, he was already tightening his grip on the hilt of his sword.

King Yaldabaoth’s smile deepened. “Wise choice, son,” he trilled. “Shall we have a handicap? No magic. No flying. Only steel—until death or one of us begs for mercy.”

Then, he tucked his wings into his body. Goro’s jaw, along with those of the Lunatenebrisans, dropped. Never in his life had he seen his father without wings. He couldn’t decide which was more nerve-wracking: seeing his father like that or the knowledge that he was about to possibly die while proving his worth for the Oberon title.

“He is up to something,” Akira warned. “Be careful.”

Hearing Akira, Goro could only nod. He rolled his wrist that carried the sword to calm himself. To die would mean to kill Akira as well. To beg for mercy would mean to be disgraced. If it came down to that, Goro knew that he had to pick the latter, but—

 _Cease that foolish line of thought,_ the gods reprimanded. _The battle is yours as long as you are vigilant._

Goro wondered if the god—gods?—in his father’s mind said the same thing. If the gods had abandoned his father, like Satanael had told Akira. For as long as Goro had lived, he’d never seen a single god roam his father’s skin. But then again, his father had always painstakingly covered himself with thick layers of clothing. Sometimes, Goro tried to peek through the slits that freed King Yaldabaoth’s wings. All that he saw was darkness.

“Let’s begin,” King Yaldabaoth commanded.

When Goro and King Yaldabaoth started to walk towards each other, everyone else in the room shrunk back. It created a wide circular arena for them to fight in. Only Akira had dared a step in front of the others, his sword still in his hand. Just in case.

Goro bowed to his father, as was customary. Though before he had a chance to finish straightening himself, King Yaldabaoth struck. But Goro anticipated this. He danced out of the way and steadied his footing to parry the follow-up attack. His blade scraped against King Yaldabaoth’s. He tried to push forward, to nick his father’s face, but his father was stronger and easily shoved Goro away.

King Yaldabaoth struck again. This time, Goro ducked and rolled forward. He thought about swinging his blade in a backward arc as a distraction before he got up and properly attacked. But his father would easily step away from it—he had taught Goro that move, after all.

Goro sprung from his crouch and landed a good distance away from King Yaldabaoth. He was tempted to sprint ahead and attack. To draw first blood. Akira always had something to say about Goro’s fighting style. It wasn’t that Akira hated it; it just was that it was so raw and aggressive that it made Goro succumb to fatigue too easily.

When King Yaldabaoth dashed towards Goro, Goro dodged the blow a second too late. The edge of the sword scraped his bicep, and he winced. Blood started to well, but it was just a small sting that he could handle. It was just a small sting that forced him to focus.

The whole time, the gods stayed quiet. Perhaps to avoid distracting him. Perhaps to leave him to his demise. Goro wouldn’t know. Gods were such finicky creatures.

Their blades met again in a loud clang. And because his father was stronger, Goro kept having to defend himself from the assailing strikes. He parried two swipes. Ducked another. Then dashed under the next follow-through. As he turned around, he brought up his sword to deflect yet one more hit. The momentum allowed him to brush the attack off the central ridge of his blade.

As Goro stepped forward to attempt an onslaught of his own, King Yaldabaoth’s eyes narrowed. Although King Yaldabaoth was still recovering from the last parry, it seemed like he had a plan.

In a moment of impulsiveness, Goro used the palm of his free, gloved hand to bat away King Yaldabaoth’s sword. It worked. Shocked, King Yaldabaoth stumbled to the side with the blade’s momentum, leaving himself to open to Goro’s next thrust. Goro’s sword pierced King Yaldabaoth’s side, but it also somehow managed to snag onto the thick clothes. Goro yanked his sword out, causing his father to bellow with pain and rage.

At the same time, Akira and the Solisluxian army whooped. A quick glance told Goro that Akira wasn’t far from them. He was still a step ahead of the others. If the battle continued in this direction, Akira could accidentally get hurt. Goro needed to steer the fight away.

It was too late. King Yaldabaoth followed Goro’s line of sight. Clutching his wound, King Yaldabaoth charged towards Akira, who had carelessly sheathed his sword to cheer for Goro. Akira’s eyes were wide open in shock, flashing between green and orange. He was open. He was vulnerable.

“No!” Goro choked. In his mind, he had a vivid vision of a fatal blow striking Akira, then Akira bursting into blue and white flames, surrendering his body to the stars. It made him realise that proving his worth no longer meant anything to him. Not if it put his soulmate’s life in danger. Not if it meant that he might be able to spend even one millisecond less with Akira.

Clenching his sword even tighter, Goro rushed forward, targeting his father’s neck. But when light burst from Akira’s back, Goro stopped in his tracks. Suddenly, Satanael was there. In front of Akira. Protecting him. Its large hand gripped King Yaldabaoth around the head, lifting him off the ground.

 _Insolent fae_ , Satanael seethed. _You dare suggest a duel, only to break its laws? Such foul audacity._

The Solisluxian army and the Lunatenebrisan court collectively gasped. When Goro looked at Akira, his soulmate was just standing there with a faint grin, his eyes back to its usual steely grey. That jerk. He knew that King Yaldabaoth had been planning something like this. Goro couldn’t help but release a relieved sob.

“Let me go, damn you!” King Yaldabaoth screeched, clawing at Satanael’s hand. He tried to summon his wings, flapping them as hard as he could in order to escape Satanael. His desperate efforts were futile.

 _With no manners to boot,_ Satanael scoffed. He stiffened his grip, which made King Yaldabaoth scream louder.

In King Yaldabaoth’s struggle, his crown was knocked loose. It clattered to the ground, and everyone in the court watched as it whirled around its edge until it stopped. Unknown to Goro, his back was glowing and both Loki and Robin Hood had emerged behind him. Some fae folk behind Goro gasped, but he was too occupied with the turn of events.

“The God of Control isn’t who he claims to be!” a Lunatenebrisan squeaked.

 _You fancy yourself a god?_ Satanael sniffed at Yaldabaoth. _I know gods. I am a god. You are not one of us._

“I have wings like you do,” Yaldabaoth scrambled to explain. “Only gods have wings like that, and I have a power that the other fae folk do not. It is a sign that the Mother God Sophia and the Father God Philemon chose me to be one of you!”

Satanael rattled Yaldabaoth with disdain. _The Mother God and the Father God chose you? Don’t make me laugh. Just because you are capable of lying, unlike the other fae folk, doesn’t make you anything special. Besides, your wings are an abomination. Didn’t your parents ever tell you that your wings are only like that because they mutilated you? But enough. An unfortunate past does not absolve you of the path you’ve chosen. Look at your son. You abused him, but he still chose to fight for the greater good._

Heads turned to gawk at Goro. When Goro tried to shrink back in embarrassment, he found himself prodded forward by Robin Hood. He turned to look back, jaw dropping at the sight of both Loki and Robin Hood.

“What—” Goro started, but the gods only nudged him to pay attention to the scene ahead of them.

Satanael dropped Yaldabaoth onto his knees and summoned earth to bind him into place. Then, angling its head towards Goro, Satanael said, _Goro. Pick up the crown that is now rightfully yours._

Goro looked at Akira, who grinned and nodded encouragingly. Gulping, Goro willed himself to take a step forward, and another, and another, until he finally reached the crown. But did he really deserve to be Oberon? His hands shook as it circled the golden yew branches-and-leaves crown. By right, someone from the High Council of Lunatenebris should be putting it on his head.

By right, he should only be able to become Oberon when his father was dead.

 _The crown, Goro,_ Satanael said without impatience.

Steadying himself as much as his nerves allowed, Goro lifted the crown. Wasn’t he supposed to bow? Who was he supposed to face? Satanael? The throne? Everything was so unconventional that Goro’s head kept spinning.

Before his thoughts spiralled even further, Goro stepped over his father and knelt before Akira and Satanael. He avoided Akira’s gaze, knowing that his soulmate’s eyes would be shimmering with pride. It always made his heart race, but this time, he worried that his feigned courage might fall apart because everything was suddenly happening so fast that his own emotions could barely keep up.

When Goro raised the crown between Akira and Satanael, Akira was the one who took it from his hands. A moment passed, and Akira seated the crown on Goro’s head, a mirror of how Akira’s crown sat on his head.

But it was the three gods around them that spoke: _We hereby decree you the new Oberon of Lunatenebris._

Similar to Akira’s coronation, the branches on the golden crown started to a soft blue light before it shrunk to fit perfectly around Goro’s head. Goro squeezed his eyes shut, hoping that the crown would be kind enough to just fall off his head over time if he wasn’t fit to be Oberon instead of its usual swift stroke of death upon coronation.

Goro’s wings summoned themselves. They fanned out, one side stretched towards Loki, the other towards Robin Hood. The two gods stared at each other and then promptly crumbled. Their dark blue essences drew together, folding and unfolding until a different god of old materialised above Goro. It was yet another god that every fae folk knew. The only god in the ancient scripture that lacked wings. The only god in the ancient scripture that carried a bow larger than itself.

Goro knew that something was happening to him, but all he could hear was excited screams from a few fae folk. When he looked to see what was above him, his mouth fell open and he gaped in wonder.

 _I am thou,_ whispered a stern, commanding voice. _Thou art I. From the sea of thy soul, I come. At last, the crown rests upon its rightful heir. Henceforth, the land of Lunatenebris shalt be restored by thy hands to its glory. Together, thee and the Titania shall maketh the Land of Fae whole once more… I am Hereward, son of the Father God Philemon!_

Around Goro, the Solisluxian army burst into cheers while fae folk from the Lunatenebrisan court watched on in dismay. But Hereward wasn’t done.

 _King Goro of Lunatenebris_ , it announced. _For your first task as Oberon, together with the Titania, you must decide the false god’s fate._ _The gods propose death. However, a new era has come, so the fate of the repugnant fae shall not be determined by us._

Disbelief coloured Yaldabaoth’s face. He opened his mouth to retaliate, but Satanael hissed and snapped its fingers at him, silencing whatever grovelling Yaldabaoth had intended.

“May we have a moment for that?” Akira suddenly asked Satanael and Hereward.

They nodded, and the fae folk quietened. Akira moved forward and offered a hand to Goro, helping him up. Exchanging giddy looks, they couldn’t help but chuckle softly between each other.

“King Goro,” teased Akira under his breath. He looked as if he were about to say something aggravatingly fond. It was a look that Goro was used to, one that would normally have Goro slapping his hand over Akira’s mouth to shut him up. But the circumstances were different now, and Goro didn’t think that it would be a good idea to behave like that in front of the other fae folk now that he was Oberon. He was Oberon. Actually Oberon.

Goro shivered. “King Akira,” he murmured. He took a step closer, still holding onto Akira’s hand. “There are a billion things I want to say right now. They have to wait. My father—” his gaze drifted to Yaldabaoth. “Akira, what do you think?”

“I don’t think we should kill him,” Akira contemplated. His fingers twitched in Goro’s grip in a nervous tic. “He needs to be punished, but we definitely shouldn’t kill him.”

“Even after everything he’s done?” Goro hesitated. “He’s killed so many humans…”

“Especially after everything he’s done,” asserted Akira. “Not everything has to end in bloodshed. It would go against the peace that we have been fighting for.”

Goro massaged the bridge of his nose with his free hand. “Letting him go would be a huge oversight on our part too.” He lowered his voice. “Even if we throw him into prison, I have no doubt that he will find the means to escape.”

“We could banish him to the human realm,” Akira suggested. “Make him live a human life. Perhaps he will learn compassion after a fashion.”

“There hasn’t been a way to take away a fae’s powers for twenty thousand years.” Goro’s brows furrowed. When Akira didn’t reply immediately, it hit Goro like a slap on the face. “There hasn’t been a way to take away a fae’s power since the Land of Fae was split into two!” he exclaimed.

Akira grinned, nodding his head vigorously. The gesture made Goro’s heart ache pleasantly. It reminded him of a time when they were no one but mischievous High Princes, their hands unstained of blood.

“Let’s do that,” Goro said. “Father can live the rest of his life in the human realm.” He heard chatters of approval, even from the Lunatenebrisans. He looked at his father, who was struggling inside the earthen bonds, his mouth opened in a silent scream. Goro steeled his heart. Ridding the Land of Fae of his father and hoping that his father learnt a lesson in the human realm would be the best decision. Death would be too merciful. Imprisonment would be too foolish.

 _They have come to a decision._ Satanael noted. _The gods are in favour. Have you any last words for your father, Oberon?_

For the entirety of the war, Goro had imagined what he would say to his father in countless scenarios. The things he might say to his father if they won the war. If they lost the war. However, when Goro noticed Yaldabaoth glaring at him with venom, he realised that none of his words would matter. He’d chosen his family the day he crossed the walls between Solislux and Lunatenebris. He’d chosen Akira.

Breathing deeply, Goro said, “I’ve already made my peace. There is nothing to say.”

 _Very well,_ Satanael replied. It reached its hand towards Yaldabaoth and snapped its fingers again. The earth fell away, replaced with chains. Still writhing, Yaldabaoth was lifted off the ground. His mouth was moving rapidly. Had he his voice, Goro was sure that his father would be cursing him, Akira, and maybe even the gods.

As Hereward loaded and drew back its bow, an orb of light that drew powers from both Satanael and Hereward itself began to form at the tip of the arrow. Once the orb stabilised, Hereward let loose the arrow, which pierced through Yaldabaoth’s skull.

It seemed to do him no physical harm. Instead, the arrow dissolved into Yaldabaoth’s head bit by bit until it was gone, completely sealed into Yaldabaoth’s mind. His wings shattered then, falling off his back and crashing onto the ground like glass. Pieces of it scattered around. For once, Goro could see through the gaps between his father’s clothes. It confirmed what he had known for a long time: the gods had abandoned his father.

Akira had once told him that the gods only deserted fae folk who lost their way. Goro wondered, detachedly, why his father had even lost his way to begin with.

The chains binding Yaldabaoth broke away, dropping Yaldabaoth onto the floor. His first instinct was an attempt to blast his powers at Goro and Akira. When nothing came out of his hands, he bowed his head and clenched his fists. He seemed to be sobbing, but all Goro could see were how his father’s ears were now rounded, just like a human’s.

Tearing his eyes away from his father, Goro noticed that one of the gods had summoned a portal. On the other side of the portal was the human realm. He recognised the tall building, the busy roads, the crowd. It was one of the locations that he and Akira had visited together.

Without further ado, Satanael flicked its finger towards the portal. Yaldabaoth was dragged by an invisible force until he crossed the portal. Then, the portal disappeared.

Through it all, Goro couldn’t tell if he felt relief or sorrow that he couldn’t catch a glimpse of his father’s expression. Goro wished that things had turned out differently. He wished that his mother had never died so that his father wouldn’t hate him so much. He wished that whatever that had turned his father into this tyrannical, cold-blooded fae hadn’t happened. Maybe things could have been different then.

 _But that would mean you might have never met Akira,_ Hereward whispered in Goro’s head.

Goro felt Akira squeeze his hand. He blinked away his tears and shoved his thoughts aside. Hereward was right. For Akira, Goro would gladly go through everything again if it meant that they could be together. There was no use imagining all that could have been. Not when he’d always had the ability to shape his own future.

 _Now that the Oberon title has been liberated and the false god is gone,_ Hereward said, _there is a matter we must tell you of._

The audience around them were strangely quiet. They appeared to be both awed and frightened. The remaining Lunatenebrisans cowered as much as they could, afraid that they might suffer the same fate as Yaldabaoth. The Solisluxians, however, were frozen in wonder. Most had already sheathed their blades. Those who didn’t held their weapons slack beside themselves.

 _As you already know,_ Satanael went on, _the Land of Fae was once without kingdoms. Now that the Oberon and the Titania are again complete, the fae have to work towards harmony to bring back what was lost when the Oberon before Yaldabaoth divided the lands._

Hereward hummed. _Outside, Lunatenebris started to heal the moment Goro became Oberon. The gods shall not provide further hints, but the seasons may soon start to change once more in the Land of Fae. That is all._

With that, the gods flew back into the back of their respective fae. The court suddenly felt barren without their presence. The fae folk shuffled about, uncertain about how to proceed. Goro felt like he or Akira should say something. But it also felt wrong to breeze past what the gods had said without letting the words sink in first, so Goro chewed on the insides of his cheeks. The only thing he felt certain of was that Akira would be having the same line of thought.

The silence stretched.

Just as Goro was about to work his courage to say something, someone miraculously shouted, “All hail, King Goro!”

“All hail, King Goro!” the room echoed. One by one, each fae folk dropped to their knee until only Akira and Goro were the only ones standing. Then, Akira slowly let go of Goro’s hand, beaming with pride. He took a step back and sank to his knee as well.

 _Don’t start crying again, son,_ Hereward scolded fondly. _It’s unbecoming for the Oberon._

So, of course, tears spilled out of Goro’s eyes as Goro choked, “Please rise.” Despite the gods’ words, despite everything, he still doubted that he deserved to be Oberon. After all, he had betrayed his own kingdom. But a small, tiny part of his heart told him that because of everything he had gone through, he would work harder than any other Oberon to give the fae folk the best that they deserved.

When Akira was back on his feet, he swept Goro into a hug, showering Goro’s face with kisses. “We did it!” Akira gushed.

About them, Solisluxians and Lunatenebrisans alike began to celebrate, indifferent of who came from which kingdom. Someone in the back of the room started singing. Even with their armour and weapons, the fae folk couldn’t help but dance.

They had done it, Goro thought. They really had done it. Three hundred and fifty years were nothing to the fae folk, but they were still enough to lose plenty. In that time, Goro had just barely gone into adulthood and Akira had, in the middle of a battlefield, turned into an adult himself. They could have spent those years planning more trips to the human realm. They could have spent more time in the forests of Solislux, chasing each other under the never-ending sunlight.

Burying his head into the crook of Akira’s neck, Goro returned Akira’s tight hug. “We finally did it,” Goro sobbed. He felt like his heart was about to explode.

after.

Once upon a time, there came a day when the divided Land of Fae became whole again. For the first time in twenty thousand years, the sun and the moon began its cycle again, rotating in a loop like children chasing each other around a bush. As the seasons changed, the fae folk played among the woods and lost humans came and went as they were wont to in the fae realm. Each one welcomed with mischief. Each one parting with wistfulness and confusion over the number of years that had gone by.

But in this Land of Fae, there lived a Titania and an Oberon. The Titania, with a crown of hair so dark, whose laughter lit his surroundings like the sun’s kiss. The Oberon, with a crown of hair so bright, whose grin comforted his surroundings like the moon’s embrace.

Cherished by fae folk from every inch of the fae realm, the rule of the Titania and the Oberon together was compassionate and just. Despite being birthed in opposing kingdoms, they were made for each other, for they were indeed two sides of the same coin. Never again did they worry about war forcing them apart. Adversities were nothing to them, not when they had each other.

And so, they lived happily ever after.

the end.

**Author's Note:**

> If you've made it this far, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for reading it.
> 
> Something about Ishtar that I couldn't put in: Ishtar is the goddess of love and fertility, but she is also known as "Lady of Battles". In Persona 5, she belongs to the Lovers confidant. In this story, the Ishtar on Akira gives itself to Goro to signify the bond between the two boys and how Akira will protect Goro no matter what.
> 
> The other minor gods on Akira include, in no order: Surt (Magician), Isis (Priestess), Dakini (Empress), Baal (Emperor), Kohryu (Hierophant), Cerberus (Chariot), Uriel (Justice), Kuruma Tengu (Hermit), Lakshmi (Fortune), Valkyrie (Strength), Attis (Hanged Man), Mandrake (Death), Seiryu (Councillor), Lilim (Devil), Yoshitsune (Tower), Cu Chulainn (Faith), Anubis (Judgement), Byakko (Temperance), Sraosha (Star), Mothman (Moon), Suzaku (Sun), Horus (Sun), and Mithras (Sun).


End file.
